Table



Jan. 5, 1932.

G. L. DENNIS TABLE Filed April 1, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN Hil a Inventor GEMGfLfii/W/S.

Gttorneg Jan. 5, 1932. G. L. DENNIS 1,839,535

TABLE Filed April 1, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A z Ihmentor (Ittomeg Patented Jan. 5, 1 932 nnrrsn STAT-ES GEORGE L. DENNIS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA TABLE Application filed April l, 1930. Serial No. 440,663;

My present inventionrelates to improvements in tables of thetype which includes foldable legs and foldable leaves, and which are adapted to be knocked down and com- '7 pactly arranged for storage, when not in use.

WVhile the table of my invention is well adapted'for many domestic uses, it'is especially designed for use in dining rooms,ire sta urants, banquet halls, and other public eat ng places, J where it is frequently necessary to remove tac bles from the dining room and store them in a store room.

In carrying out my invention, I provide th tables with means whereby they may quickly 1 be knocked down or folded into compact form and securely fastened so that the tables may be stacked in convenient piles in the store room, and thus arranged to occupy only a minimum storagespace. Means are also provided whereby the tables may quickly and with facility be set up and locked in set-p osi tion for use, either singly to accommodate a small dinner party, or in coupled rows to form a long sectional table for a' large dinner 2 party, as well as for banquets.

The parts of my improved tableare so combined and arranged that when the table is set up a maximum, space is provided for the feet and legs of the diners, andunnecessary obstructions are removed from under the ta.-

ble. When set up singly, the table is secure ly braced to'insure stability, and when the tables are set up and coupled to form along sectional table, as fora banquet, the sections are rigidly coupled together-and the several tables form a stable, long table."

When the tables are knocked down and their parts secured together,,they are retained in a comparatively small compass in order that the packed tables may be handled with facility. .f i I By utilizing the devices of my invention in the table construction, I am enabled to employ a minimum number of waiters for carrying the dining room, thus'attaining a saving in time and labor employed, and confusion is the tables to and from the storage room and While I have referred to the use of my portable, knock-down table, in a dining room or other public eating place, it will be understood that thetable may be used for household purposes and in various other ways.

- The invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts that enable me to attain the above indicated results, and as hereinafter set forth and claimed. In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention wherein the parts are combined and arranged according to the best mode I have thus far devised'for the practical application of the principles of myinvention.

Figure 1 is a vertical section view of the table set up.

Figure 2 is a sectional view at right angles to Figure 1', with one of the leaves turned down. a r 7 Figure 3 is a plan view of the table folded and packed, ready for storing.

Figure 4 is'anend View of a packed table, showing by dotted lines how the packed tables are stored or stacked.

Figure 5 is an enlarged'detail view at one end of the removable and interchangeable .brace bar, and V -F1gure 6 ma plan view of co-acting fastening devices on adjoining tables for coupling them together. 7 r

In carrying out my invention, the portable, knockdown or collapsible table is fashioned 'with a top 1 to which are hinged two folding leaves and 3, the hinges being indicated at t. IVhlle the top may be fashioned in any selected and suitable shape, I prefer to employ a square table having an area of about a square yard, and the free edges of the square table top fit neatly against those of an adoining table to insure a smooth surface when a plurality of tables are coupled together to I form a sectional table. V

The leaves,'as indicated, are designed to fold to position at right angles to themain tabletop, and under some conditionsthey may assume this position when table is set and rigidly secured in that position in order indicated in Figure 4. When the compacted tables are stacked, the lower edges of the folded leaves of an upper table rest in the lateral grooves formed along the hinge joints of the table beneath, and in this manner the stack or pile of compacted tables is held or retained against displacement of the tables in the stack or pile.

The table isprovided with a pair of spaced legs and 6, each of which is fashioned with a transversely arranged foot bar 7 at the ends ofxwhich are provided swiveled casters 8. Ihe legs are fashioned with top hinge bars 9 which also extend transversely of the table and parallel with the foot bars, and at 10 the hinge bars are hinged to hinge-blocks 11 and 12 that are securely of the table top.

It willbe noted that one of'the legs is longer than the other and, consequently, one of the hinges is spaced below the table top a greater distance than the other hinge joint, in order that the legs may be folded flat against the underside of the top for packing.

The hinged leaves 2 and 3 may be turned down to vertical position, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 1, while the table is in 7 position for use, and the leaves are also turned to this position, as seen in Figures 3 and 4-,

when the table has been knocked down and secured for stormg.

' The legs are thus hlnged on oints disposed .at right angles to the' hinge joints of the leaves, and because of the difference in the width of the hinge blocks 11 and 12, the legs are permitted to fold, one over the other,

. parallel with the underside of the top. The

leaves, when folded to right angle positions relativeto the top, form the sides of an enclosure for the folded legs, and it will be apparent that the lower edges of the leaves of an upper knocked-clown table will lit into the lateral grooves of the table beneath, thus permitting the tables to be stacked as in Figure 4.

When the table is set up for use, the two leaves are supported flush with the top by means of four wood-bars 13, each provided with a knob 1 and pivoted at 15 on the underside of the table top. he pivot 15 may be a stud bolt secured in the top and provided with a butterfly 'nut 16 which is secured against turning by means of a. staple 17 driven into the underside of the top and over one of the wings of the nut, but any suitable means may be employed for preventing dislocation of the parts. The pivoted woodbars are of suflicient length to project beneath the leaves: and support them, when the bars are turned to extended position as shown inFi'gure 1,and'they provide the necessary rigidity andv stability for the table leaves.

Then the table is to be set up, the legs are 7 leaves and secured by screws. fastened to the underside with-a slide bolt 26 adapted to engage in a nssasse and then they are braced apart by the use of a removable andinterchangeable brace bar 18 that is fashioned with two end heads 19. These heads have squared edges to fit against the faces of the legs and also against the under faces of the hinged leaves, and their ends are recessed or cut away, each to receive a flanged plate 20 that is secured as by a screw 21 in the recessed edge of the head.

Each plate 20 is fashioned with a pair of hooks 22 located within the recess of the head, and these hooks are designed to engage, alternately,complementary eyes 23 on the legs and eyes 24 on the leaves. The eyes 23 and '24 are integral with plates 25that are mortise d in the surfaces of the legs and of the Each head of the brace bar is provided socket 27 in an adjoining leg and also in an adjoining leaf of the table, and the bolt is supported in a face plate 28 secured to the head end slotted at .29 to accommodate the push'pin 30 of the bolt. The bolt may reciprocate longitudinally in the bore 31 of the head, guided by the flange 32 of the face plate, whichisperforated for the purpose.

Afterthe hooks on the brace bar have been engaged in the eyes of the table-legs or of v thetable-leaves, the bolts are slid to extended position, and the brace baris thus fastened against longitudinal movement as well as against edgewise movement and the bar and leaves, or the bar and legs, are rigidly joined together to provide a stable formation of the parts. 7 7

As thus described, it will be apparent that the table-maybe set up to form a rigid and stable structure sufficient to resist displacement w'hen bumped by the knees or by the feet, and the arrangement of the legs at the center of the table with the'foot bars of the legs close to the floor, provides ample room beneath the table for the feet and legs of the diner.

r In preparing for a large party of diners, as for a banquet, the tables are joined together by couplings at their adjoining ends, and as these ends are squared, the plurality of tables may rigidly be joined together to form a long, sectional table that is rigid and stable. 3 r e At the opposite ends of the table top, and to its underside are secured or mounted the complementary coupling members in order that a latch on one top may be secured to the keeper on the top of the adjoining table. Thus each table has at one end a latch 33, with a handle3e, and pivoted at 35 in the ear 36 of a latch plate 37, that is secured at the underside of the table top. The latch has 7 a lug 38 thereon for frictional engagement with a detent 39, secured on the top, and used or uJ with the latch to hold it retracted when the latch is not to be used.

At the opposite end of each table is mounted a keeper 4L0 struck up from its plate 41, which plate is secured to the top, and the latch is designed to swing into frictional contact with the keeper and plate andunder the keeper. A locking lever 42 is pivoted at 43 adjacent the keeper, and this lever has a friction lug 4A bent up at its free end, to engage the latch and hold it from displacement. Thus each table is equipped at its ends with complementary coupling members designed to co-act similar members on the two adjoining tables.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination in a portable, knockdown table having a pair of hinged leaves, of a pair of hinged legs, a removable and interchangeable brace bar, fastening means on the leaves and legs, and complementary fastening means on the bracebar for alternate use with the fastening means on the leaves and legs.

2. The combination in a portable, knockdown table having a pair of leaves and fastening eyes on the leaves, of a pair of hinged legs and fastening eyes on the legs, a removable and interchangeable brace bar, and fastening hooks on the brace bar for alternate use with the eyes on the leaves and legs.

3. The combination with a table having a pair of spaced hinged legs and eyes on the adjoining sides of said legs, of a removable brace bar having complementary hooks to fit said eyes, and fastening bolts in the bar adapted to engage sockets in the legs to prevent edgewise movement of the bar.

4. A table comprising a top and pair of hinged leaves, movable supports on the top for holding the leaves extended, a pair of hinged legs for the table, a brace bar adapted to confine the folded legs against the underside of the table when the leavesare turned at right angles to the top, fastening means on the leaves, and co-acting fastening means at the opposite ends of the brace bar.

5. A table comprising a top having a pair I of leaves hinged to its edges and fastening devices on the leaves, a pair of spaced legs: hinged to the top at right angles to the leaves and between the leavesv and adapted to fold against the top, a removable brace bar adaptsignature.

7 GEORGE L. DENNIS.

ed to confine the legs in folded position, and

fastening devices on the ends of the brace bar for engaging the devices'on the leaves when the latter are turned at right angles to the top.

6. A table top having a pair of hingedleaves and a pair of eyes on the underside of each leaf, a pair of legs hinged to the top at right angles to the hinges of the leaves and adapted to fold on the top, a pair of eyes mounted on each leg, an interchangeable 

